World Behind His Mask
by shinigami379
Summary: Nothing will ever be the same. Naruto is tired. he's just tired, so its time he showed the real him. Will he be accepted for his true self or will it only increase the villagers hatread towards him? Friendships will be tested. yaoi. Sasu/Naru. Some OOC!
1. Prologue

**Disclaimer: i do not own Naruto or any of the characters. i just like to borrow them once in a while to make them do whatever my twisted little mind can come up with. ;3**

**Pairings: Sasuke/Naruto...and others**

**Warnings: There will be mature themes throughout this story. Some will be milder than others. This is a yaoi fanfic. All those who oppose to Male/Male relationships may leave. Flames may not be wanted but they will not be unexpected. if it offends you, let me know.**

_**Behind The Mask**_

**Prologue**

As the sun slowly rose over the horizon of the village Hidden in the Leaf, there was a lone figure sitting on top of the Hokage Mountain. He watched as the villagers started their morning routines. The venders opened their shops; putting out their fresh fruits, greeting each other with friendly smiles and waves. As he watched them interact with one another in such a friendly manner, he couldn't help but feel a swell of emotions in the pit of his stomach. He knew them well. He felt it every time he thought about this village and the people in it. The deep rooted anger. He could never manifest enough rage to ever call it hatred. He was a shinobi. He risked his life everyday to keep those ungrateful humans alive and was never seen as anything other than dirt. Ever since he was a child he felt like an outsider. It wasn't due to the fact that he was ignored…no. How the villagers treated him was much worse. They would call him name that no child should be aware of at a young age. They would spit on him, hit him with stones and throw rotten garbage at him. They would sell rotten food that not even the hungriest dogs would eat. Growing up the village was like hell on earth for him and he never understood why. That is, until he found an old scroll in the hokages' private chambers. Ever since that day he found that everything that the villagers did to him made sense.

Over sixteen years ago the village Hidden in the Leaf was attacked by one of the most powerful demons in history, the Nine Tailed Fox Kyuubi. The demon was enraged aand he destroyed anyone and anything that was in it's way. The fourth Hokage saw only one way to save his village. He performed one of the most powerful sealing jutsus and bound the demon fox in the body of a new born child. his own son; only a few days old. The jutsu was very powerful and took most of his chakra. With the severity of his wounds and the toll the jutsu took on his body, he died that very night.

Since his parents died when he was a few days old. He had been raised in an orphanage until he was the age of seven. The caretakers had refused to continue caring for him any longer. Most would have taken pity on a child so young but instead he was shunned. The village council arranged for him to live in a rundown apartment in the worst part of town. The apartment had no hot water. There was no air-conditioning during the summer and no heat during the winter. There wasn't even a lock on his front door. The council's own hatred for the boy ran deeper than the villagers. They wanted to be rid of him. If he had died while trying to live on his own then it would be dismissed as an unfortunate accident. The only reason he had survived his younger years was due to the kindness of one or two villagers. Even now, after all the years that have passed, it seemed as if the villager's hatred towards him has only grown. But he stayed loyal to a village that wanted him dead.

**please review. i probably really suck at this...**


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: I do not own naruto or any of its characters…..I just like to make them do as I please.**

**Warnings: mature themes eventually...**

**A/N: So, I only wrote a prologue and I didn't expect reviews on it because it was rather short. So here goes something….hopefully. yeah so enjoy.**

"talking"

_" thinking"_

**_"Kyuubi talking"_**

**_"_" Break in scene._**

**_ Lies revealed_**

It was an hour and a half after sunrise and Konoha was in a flurry of activity. There were venders out and about making their stalls look as presentable as possible; the early shoppers out to get the freshest and the best. There was a variety of different fruits and fabrics. Any ordinary person would have found it odd that an entire village was up at the crack of dawn, but for these villagers it was the norm. There are very few people in the village that sleep in.

In the Far East end of the village, was the poorest of neighborhoods. There was filth littering the street on every block. The trash cans overflowed onto the streets with dirty diapers, empty food cans and rotten food. The streets were infested with rats and flies. Many who lived there were either severely wounded shinobi's who could no longer efficiently do their jobs or the prostitutes and the poor. Only the lowest of the low lived on that side of town, or so it was portrayed. In a rundown apartment building, that looked as if it were about to fall apart, lived Uzumaki Naruto. It wasn't that he liked to follow the norms of the village. It was just safer. Ever since he was a child he has risen as the first light is seen peaking over the distant horizon. He had found out from an early age that if he didn't wake before the villagers, then he would wake up to unwelcomed surprises. The windows would be broken or his apartment broken into. More often than not, his door would even be stolen. One would assume that the vandalism would take place when he was out on a mission or training, but no. They didn't care whether or not he was at home. The villagers did as they pleased because to them, Naruto was no more important than the scum at the bottom of a fish tank. He was the Demon Child. No one cared about him, but today that didn't matter.

It was a Tuesday. Nothing ever happened on Tuesdays. It was the one day of the week that had no meaning whatsoever. It really didn't.

Wednesday is appreciated because it proves you made it half way through the week. Thursday is loved because it's almost Friday. Friday means the weekend is finally here. Saturday, well Saturday means fun and R and R. Sunday is bitter sweet due to the fact that it signifies the end of the weekend. Monday is dreaded because it is the start of school and work. Then there's Tuesday. It's just there. Naruto on the other hand sees Tuesdays in a different light. Naruto associated Tuesdays with good luck.

It was a Tuesday when he was told about Sasukes location.

It was a Tuesday when he found the hideout.

It was a Tuesday when he brought back Sasuke.

It was a Tuesday when Sasuke was released from prison.

It was a Tuesday when Sasuke's suspension was over.

These were the things that happened on Tuesdays that made the day so special. It had to do with Sasuke because Sasuke was Naruto's first real friend. His best friend in fact.

Naruto sat on his bed in apartment number nine. Ironic isn't it? There was only an imprint of the number on the door now. The metal plate had fallen off months ago. He saw no point in replacing it. As he sat there stearing into space he wasn't sure what to do. He was suppose to be meeting Sasuke at the training grounds…..he looked at the sun….an hour ago.

"_Damn it! Why did this have to be so hard? "_he thought as he fell back onto the bed. "_All you have to do…you idiot…is tell him the truth. It can't be that hard can it? No. You're making it out to be bigger than it has to…right? He'll understand. Won't he?"_

_Naruto's constant ranting about the Uchiha brat was currently grating at Kyuubi's nerves. She couldn't take it anymore..._

"_**Kit! Shut up. It is way too early for you to be ranting on about Uchiha…again**." _For a few minutes Kyuubi's voice broke his train of thought. Kyuubi was always there for him. He didn't see the demon that was sealed in him as a curse.

Naruto had long since accepted that he could never be rid of Kyuubi. When he was six, he tried to talk to her. Everyone in the village said that he was the demon. He had no friends, so he came to the conclusion that if no one liked the demon nor him then maybe they could be friends. He tried in vein for two years, but the only response he would ever recieve from the fox was an occasional growl or a long and elaborate string of curses. Kyuubi liked solitude. She would give anything for it. She had never understood the reasoning behind the human boys actions. She had never been kind to him, nor had she given him a sliver of hope that she would ever be. Over time she had come to love him as her own and she would protect her kit...even if it was from himself.

_"Come on Kyu, this is important. What if he ends up hating me?"_ Naruto whined as he threw his arms over his eyes.

**"_Kit..." sighed Kyuubi as she paced the confines of her cage."...if he cannot understand the reasoning behind you keeping secrets, then you do not need him!" She was begining to get angy. Her chakara flaired as she continued on with her rant. "You're kind and sweet the most compassionate person i know. i do not see why you place so much power in that spoilt brats hands. He doesn't even have a clue as to how you really feel! He does not deserve you kit!"_**

Naruto was in shock. It was not because of what Kyuubi had said, but the fact that she had actually said it. She would usually keep whatever comments she had about Sasuke to herself. _" I guess she finally had enough" _Naruto thought as he replayed everything she said in his head.

Naruto could see that Kyuubi was right. He give Sasuke power over him, even if Sasuke hadn't realised it. He could see the point Kyuubi was trying to make.

"That's it! I'm ready!" Naruto exclaimed as he leapt off of his bed.

" _**Kit not to be negative but, what exactly are you ready for?" **_Kyuubi asjed, even though she wasn't sure if she wanted the answer.

" To tell Sasuke the truth!" He said as he walked through his front door.

_

* * *

_

Three miles south of the village Hidden in the Leaf was the training grounds that were used for the shinobi's. It was a clearing filled with trees that were spacifically designed for ambush and combat situations needed for the young shinobi's of the village to hone their skills. Today was different however, due to the fact that there were several shinobi's gathered around a single dark haired figure. That wasn't what was so unusual. the topic of their conversation on the other hand was.

"Sasuke you have to beliieve us!" screached a pimk haired ninja as she threw her hand in the air in exasperation. She as well as others in their circle of friends were trying to help the Uchiha but he was making it rather difficult. " He is evil. We even found the scroll that explained how everything worked! he's not the person you think he is!"

"Sakura, shut up" came the sot but stern voice of Neji Huuga. He knew what they had read, but he couldn't bring himself to believe it. It just didn't add up...especially since he had his own personal proof. "Not all of us believe some old scroll covered in dust. He deserves a chance to explain himself to Uchiha and it is not your place to do so!"

"Neji, you butt out of this. We've all known for some time and i feel that it's in Sasukes best interest to know the truth!" she yelled as she gleared at Neji.

"Yeah Neji! Butt the hell out!" Ino and Lee yelled finally adding their two cents.

"I will not be silenced by a couple of ingrates!" Neji felt his temper rise. He had to keep calm, for His sake. As Neji took a few calming breaths he focussed on the task at hand. " It is not your place. Nor is it mine. So all of you need to give it a rest!"Glearing at each of them. Wondering how in the hell couls they be turning their backs on someone that they once called a friend. He silently wished that Kiba abd Shino were here to back him up. Lately those two were the only ones that had and sence around here. He was just relieved that Naruto wasn't here.

No sooner had the thought left his mind had Naruto come flying from the trees.

"Hey guys!" He said as he plastered a bright fake smile on his face " What's everyone doinf here? I thought we had the day off?" he asked wearily ans he saw and felt their unease.

No one said a word. Throughout the earlier exchange Sasuke had kept quiet. He had taken everything in and came to his own conclusions. He just needed to know one thing, and the only person who was able to tell him was currently looking highly confused. As Sasuke approached Naruto, Naruto tensed.

" He he...heeyyy teme. Sorry i'm late..." he said nervously as Sasuke stopped directly in front of him.

"Naruto, i want an honest answer... now" He said in a deathly calm voice. His tone made Naruto's smile completely fade.

Naruto felt anxiety begining to build within him. " Honest answer about what?"

Sasuke looked him directly in the eyes. Mentally dearing him to break eye contact. " Why didnt you tell me that you're the vessel for the Nine Tailed Demon Fox?"

Naruto's jaw went slack ..."_This can't be happening..."_


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: I own nothing ok? Don't rub it in!**

**Warnings: explicit language…..and bloodshed hopefully soon.**

**Pairings: I have decided not to give that away. I've given hints already. You figure it out! You already know the main one. Can anyone guess the other three pairings that have some significance in this story?**

**A/N: This chapter is just the foundation for the rest. I am so sorry it took so long…hehe. I hope you all like it. Thank you for the reviews. Keep them coming and keep them honest!**

_**Surprises**_

The four ninjas stood to the side and watched as the staring contest continued. Uchiha held a mask of cool indifference, though anyone with a brain could tell that he was angry. Naruto on the other hand was doing his best impression of a fish.

"Umm…what?" was Naruto's oh so eloquent answer. He was confused. He couldn't understand how Sasuke had found out. He had kept it well hidden….or so he thought. Naruto looked over to his 'friends' for help. He wanted at least some indication that they were at least going to try and help him, but as he looked down the line all but one held the same expression…hatred. They all knew. They all hated him. How in the seven hells was he going to get out of this one?

"Follow me. We need to talk." Sasuke said as if he were talking about the weather.

Everyone was confused. Ino, Lee and Sakura were sure that Sasuke would have gone mental, but here he was, completely calm. This was not what they had planned to happen when they told the Uchiha about Naruto's….condition. They all had questions and of course Sakura was the first to speak.

"What the fuck do you mean by 'follow me'? He's a god danm demon!" she exclaimed while placing her hands on her hips.

"He's been lying to us from the first time we met him! How can you still trust him enough to be left alone with him? Did you lose a couple of screws when you were teamed up with Orochimaru?" Ino exclaimed as she threw her hands up in exasperation. She didn't understand why Sasuke didn't get that Naruto was beneath him. Especially now. She was however brought back to reality as Sakura smacked her in the back of her head.

"Don't you dear say that to Sasuke-kun!" Sakura shouted.

Ino stumbled forward from the force of the hit, and tried to regain her balance. "What the fuck Sakura!" she sneered as she spun around to face her attacker.

"You need to leave Sasuke-kun alone. He's been through enough!" Sakura all but screamed as she marched forward, now only standing merely a few inches away from a very pissed off blond.

"I was trying to make a point you retarded toad!"

"Well you didn't have to bring up Sasuke's lapse in judgment dog face!"

"We all know he fucked up! I was just trying to make a damn point, but of course your billboard of a forehead blocked it!"

Lee was watching the scene and could feel his anxiety level rise. " GIRLS! You are both getting off point. I'm sure that you can express your youthfulness somewhere else but right now we must focus on getting Sasuke-kun away from _it_!"

Sakura and Ino paused and stared at one another. They gave each other a small nod and turned to Sasuke. "Sasuke-kun, please listen to reason. If you're alone with him he might try to kill you!" Ino all but shouted.

Neji watched in disbelief. He had always held respect for his friends and fellow shinobi's, but they were finally showing their true colors.

"_How can they turn their backs on him like this? They're supposed to be his friends!" _Neji thought. "It is Sasuke-kun's decision whether or not he speaks to Naruto-kun. Leave them be." With that Neji turned and started walking towards the village.

Sasuke was getting impatient as he watched them bicker. All he wanted was Naruto alone and they were getting in the way. After Neji left, Sasuke gave the remaining three shinobi's the coldest glare they had ever seen, but they still didn't get it. He took matters into his own hands as he grabbed Naruto's hand and performed the teleportation jutsu to the Uchiha Mansion. All they left behind was a poof of smoke.

As they appeared behind the Uchiha mansion Naruto seemed to still be in a trans. His sky blue eyes seemed glazed and he appeared to be lost in his own world.

"_**Kit! Snap out of it! Uchiha is talking to you, answer!" Kyuubi yelled as she paced in her cage. Her Kit had been planning on telling the Uchiha brat anyway, so she couldn't understand what the problem was.**_

"_Kyu, that's not what I was going to tell him!" Naruto yelled back panicking._

_**Kyuubi seemed confused. "Then what the hell were you going to tell him!"**_

"_That I liked him, god damn it! But now I can't do that because he found out about me and you and…and…and…awww…fuck! What am I suppose to do! I…I…I can't deal with this Kyu! He's gonna completely hate m...m...me!" _

**_"Oh ..." Was the only response Kyuubi could think of._**

He couldn't handle it. But here he stood, and as he slowly came back to reality he realized that Sasuke was staring at him expectantly and for the life of him he couldn't think of anything to say.

"Ummm…What?"

"Don't play dumb with me Naruto" Sasuke seethed as his eyes narrowed. "It seemed as if everyone in the village, but _me,_ knew about it! I can't believe after all your whining and preaching about trusting each other, that _you_ of all people would keep something this important from the person you called your best friend!" With fists clenched Sasuke had slowly advanced closer upon Naruto, until he was only mere inches away from his face.

In a desperate attempt to calm himself, Sasuke punched the wall two inches to the left of Naruto's face. His black-blue covered his eyes as he hung his head. "I trusted you." He whispered as he spoke slowly. "You were the only one in this village that I was completely honest to and you kept something this important from me!"

As soon as the words left Sasuke's mouth, Naruto's head shot up.

"Wait, you already know? You're mad at me because the others know!" Naruto said disbelievingly.

"Of course I fucking know!" Sasuke screamed unable to keep his composer any longer. " I'm your _best friend_. I notice the fact that you have an extra reserve of chakra. I notice that you heal within twenty four hours of being injured. I notice that you can hold a transformation jutsu for days without feeling a strain on your chakra. Do you know what else I noticed?" He paused as he stared at Naruto's shocked face.

After ten seconds had passed, Naruto realized that Sasuke actually wanted a response. So he did the only thing his body would allow. He shook his head. " ….No" was his quiet raspy reply.

"I also noticed that you weren't ready to tell me."

And with those final words Naruto heard the hurt that the Uchiha had been hiding. Then it finally clicked. It was as if a light had turned on in his head. "_Sasuke wasn't mad because I had Kyuubi inside of me. He was mad because I hadn't trusted him enough to tell him myself."_ Naruto felt like a complete ass.

"I…I…I didn't think you'd..." Naruto started, but was interrupted by Sasuke.

"You didn't think what? That I would still be your friend? You're right, you didn't think." Sasuke said as he turned away from Naruto and focused on the flowers as the wind danced with them through the Uchiha garden.

Naruto hung his head in shame as he watched Sasuke turn away from him. "I'm sorry. I didn't think that you would still want… I mean your _Uchiha Sasuke_ why would you still?...Ugh! I figured that you would just see dumb little Naruto the nuisance and treat me like the rest of the village." Naruto tried to explain desperately.

"So you just thought I was like everyone else?" he said as he spun around to look at Naruto.

"Of course not, but…" Naruto whispered.

Sasuke looked at Naruto. His head was down with his Golden blond bangs covering his eyes. His shoulders were hunched and he looked absolutely defeated. The last time Sasuke had seen Naruto like this was when he had left with Orochimaru. He had promised himself that he wouldn't allow Naruto to ever look like that again.

"… Why?"

Sasuke knew that word held many answers. _Why did he bring him here? Why did he keep it to himself? Why hadn't he told their frie… comrades'? Why was he ok with it? But the real question Sasuke knew Naruto wanted answered was… Why did he still want to be his friend? _

Sasuke brought his hand up and placed two fingers under Naruto's chin. He lifted his chin until he could see Naruto's eyes.

"I don't want to be your friend…" With those seven words Sasuke could see a flash of pain in those beautiful blue eyes before he covered it up with the fake smile that Sasuke had become accustomed to seeing.

"It's ok Sasuke, I get it…"

"No. I don't think you do." Sasuke said as he leant in and claimed those soft pink lips that he had been dreaming about for the past nine years. The kiss was brief but to Sasuke it felt like an eternity. As he slowly pulled away, he let his hand fall from Naruto's face and looked into wide confused eyes.

"I don't want to be just another friend."


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto. I just like playing with them.**

**Thank you for the reviews. They are appreciated. Can anyone tell me if I have to do disclaimers at the beginning of every chapter? I'm sorry it took so long. Won't happen again. Hope you like and review.**

**Scene change "_"**

No sooner had the words left Sasuke's mouth did Naruto disappear. All that was left behind was a poof of smoke. Sasuke stood rooted in the same spot contemplating what his next move would be.

"_I could go after him, but it's Naruto and he tends to process certain things slower than usual…hmm. I'll give him a couple days to see if he will come to me." _Sasuke thought.

With that decided the Uchiha walked through the back door of his home and continued walking down the winding corridors, which held portraits of each generation of the Uchiha men on both sides of the wall, until he came to the first floor library. Once there, he took a seat in the farthest corner of the fifty square foot room and continued his research. The library was covered with scrolls of various sizes. The scrolls once had seals that had taken the Uchiha months to open. He didn't just sit around and do nothing when he was on suspension. The one thing in common with all these scrolls was that they all contained some information about Demons and their vessels. In his mind it was clear. If Naruto was a vessel then he was going to be damned sure he knew everything about the situation, which was what he had been trying to do for the past seven years. It had taken time for him to gather the scrolls and also finding ways to conceal them. He didn't trust the Village Council; he never did, so it was imperative that they did not find out about it.

* * *

Sakura, Lee and Ino all held the same dumbfounded expression. They couldn't believe that Sasuke actually went off alone with him. What the hell was he thinking?

Lee turned to Sakura who was standing to his right. "What do we do now?"

Sakura's green eyes narrowed into slits, "We tell the council what happened and then continue to follow orders. The entire village knows that Naruto is a danger and if Sasuke continues to be blind to the truth…," she paused and took a deep breath while she glanced at both Lee and Ino. "… then he shall be eliminated with the problem"

" But you know how persistent the Uchiha is…" Lee began before he was interrupted.

"Yeah yeah." Ino drawled as she rolled her eyes and waved Lee off. " But you know as well as anyone in this damn village, that Sasuke and Naruto have been inseparable. If it comes down to making a choice, you better be ready."

"Come on you two. We have to update the Council." Sakura commanded as she started to head towards the village. The other two shinobi's followed silently.

* * *

Naruto shot threw the village as if the hounds of hell were on his heels. He needed somewhere to think. He came to a stop as he reached a secluded spot in the high mountains behind the village. He threw himself back on the grass and watched as the wind took the leaves of the trees.

" _He kissed me. He kissed me. Sasuke kissed me. Teme, Uchiha kissed me!" _This was the mantra that kept running through Naruto's mind. It was slowly driving Kyuubi crazy. She knew that Uchiha wanted her kit and she had long since come to terms with it, but telling Naruto this now would be too much for her poor kit to handle.

" _**Kit please, what did you really expect? You two have had an attraction towards one another for years. Why do you think that you were so obsessed with getting him back?"**_

" _But I never expected him to want me. I'm the demon child. The nobody." _Naruto said sadly as he sat up and steered into the depth of the forest.

" _**I told you to stop talking like that. Now, I will not be around for long and I expect you to find someone who will look after you. Although Uchiha is a spoilt asshole, I think he will do the job well."Kyuubi stated in the most mothering way.**_

_Naruto couldn't help but smile as she spoke. She always knew how to get through to him. Naruto had come to the decision long ago, but now that he was confronted with it, he would have to make a decision. "Hell," Naruto thought. " If Sasuke was game, so am I!"_

* * *

As Sakura, Lee and Ino climbed the stairwell towards the Hokage's office, they couldn't help but feel slightly nervous. They knew that Tsunade would not take the news well. Hell the village council was probably breathing down her neck. Finally they came to the large oak wood door with its intricate carvings. The two AMBU guards that stood on each end of the door only gave the slightest of acknowledgements towards the trio, informing them that they were allowed to enter. As the large door opened, they slowly walked into the large room known as the Hokage's office. Straight ahead, sitting behind a large brown oak desk was Tsunade. As usual the office was a mess and she was buried in paper work. She glanced up from a scroll containing the plans for the reconstruction of some of the buildings in the village.

" _This should be promising"_ Tsunade thought as she pushed her current papers aside and folded her hands beneath her chin, while she let her elbows rest on top of the table.

Sakura took a step ahead of her companions, placing her only three feet from the desk. " Tsunade-sama, we may have a problem…" Sakura started, he voice slightly trembling. Tsunade's left eyebrow rose ever so slightly at the statement.

"And that would be what, exactly?" Tsunade asked with slight agitation lacing her voice.

Sakura cleared her throat as she tried not to fidget. "… well it seems as if Sasuke…" she paused as Tsunade glared at her. She knew better than to use his name in such a casual manner. " I mean Uchiha-san, is going to be a problem."

Tsunade leant forward slightly, her face expressionless. " What kind of problem? You know full well that things have to go according to plan. If anything is off and he suspects anything…" She paused in her rant as soon as she saw the doubtful expression flash across Sakura's face. "He already knows, doesn't he? You stupid, insolent child!" In a flash Tsunade was standing in the spot Sakura once stood. Sakura was lying on the floor with her head held down. Her hand currently cupping her left cheek, which was rapidly forming a nasty bruise.

" Tsunade-sama, please!" Ino shouted as she stepped forward slightly. "He doesn't know anything! We just told him what we felt was necessary to get him on our side, but…" she was interrupted by Tsunade's snide sneer.

" But, he didn't believe you!" Tsunade paused with an expectant look on her face. The three ninjas nodded in confirmation. "I've already told you imbeciles, that Uchiha cannot be swayed and it was better to keep him in the dark. I will have to think of a way to fix this. Leave!" With that final command she turned away and went to her desk.

" But Tsunade-sama, don't you have to inform the council?" Sakura questioned as she pulled herself off of the floor. Tsunade paused mid step.

"I will do that in due time. I will not disturb them with your petty mistakes!" She stated as she sat behind her desk and glared at the trio. "Leave!"

The three teens scrambled out through the door as fast as they could. Tsunade was on her last leg. She couldn't fathom the reason behind them wanting the council in on every little detail of their mission. It was becoming very tiring trying to divert their attention elsewhere. Just last week they wanted to report their progress directly to the council.

"_Ungrateful little such ups" _Tsunade thought as she continued to brainstorm. "_The ingrates didn't need to know details. They just need to be good puppets and follow my orders."_

With that thought in mind she rose from her seat and walked to the back wall of her office. After performing a series of complicated hand signs, a door appeared. She stepped forward into the small, dark room with a single candle for illumination. The door closed behind her. The room's only occupant was a table. On that table lye the heads of all six of the currents council members.

" _Such a shame." she sighed as she looked upon the table. "I actually liked some of them, but they shouldn't have tried to go against me. Now Konoha will be mine!"_


	5. Chapter 5

**Ok…so I've gotten a couple of private messages and let's just say some people have some very strange ways they want this fic to go…..**

**Dark Neko 4000: If I told you what was going to happen, it would ruin my fun!**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing... but I do like playing with them**

It had been four months. Four god damn months. Naruto couldn't take it anymore. He was at his whit's end. He was currently stearing pointedly at Kakashi, trying in vain to avoid Sasuke's eyes. It wasn't that he was avoiding sasuke per say, it was just that he couldn't get passed the idea that he had been dating him for four months. It was unfathomable. It had been the best four months of his life. He wasn't a romantic at heart, so he figured that neither was Sasuke. This was Uchiha Sasuke you're talking about. He was completely wrong. On their first date Sasuke had set up his living room with candles lit everywhere. There was a table in the middle of the room with ingredients for sushi and there was sake. Naruto was touched that Sasuke had remembered. Naruto had always wanted to make homemade sushi one day, but he never trusted the villagers enough to give him fresh fish and of course he couldn't cook. Naruto had completely sucked at making anything presentable, but he had had fun. Since then, Naruto's affection for Sasuke had only grown. So, why is it that he was currently avoiding the Uchiha's gaze? Simple, the first time he had kissed Sasuke was two days ago. Of course they had kissed before, but that was the first time that Naruto had initiated a kiss himself. Sasuke was the only person that Naruto had ever kissed and that kissed turned into more than the peck that they usually did. Every time his mind went back to the kiss, he blushed like mad; which was the reason he was currently avoiding the Uchiha's gaze.

Kakashi was unnerved. Naruto never paid attention when he was giving them a progress report on the missions that they had completed recently. Yet, here he was steering quite fixedly at him.

"_He is getting stronger." Kakashi thought grudgingly. "I told the council that they shouldn't have let it live this long."_

As he looked upon his squad he decided that today he needed a break. " No missions for the rest of the week. Get out of here" and as soon as the words left his mouth, he was gone in a poof of smoke. Leaving his squad slightly confused.

Kakashi was gone and Sakura took this as an opportunity to talk to the Uchiha.

"Sasuke-kun, I haven't seen you around lately…" she started out casually.

"Hn" was the only response she received as Sasuke stood to his feet and started walking away.

"Well, I was just wondering if it was something I said…" she continued as she desperately tried to keep up with Sasuke's long stride.

At this the Uchiha said nothing as he continued walking… "_Couldn't the bitch take a hint?"_ He thought grudgingly.

" I mean," she continued " I mean, I know he was your friend, but you'll get over it. There are others that care for you." By this time Sasuke had stopped walking and turned towards the insufferable pink haired annoyance. Sakura took this a good sign and continued. " I care for you, very much. I wouldn't lie to you like he did. Forget him Sasuke, I'm here for you. He's just a no good, piece of trash and that disgusting demon will…" she was cut off by a hard shove to her shoulder. Throughout her little speech, she had somehow found a way to latch on the Sasuke's arm.

Sasuke stepped towards her until he came within a foot of her frame. He grabbed her by her upper arm and dragged her behind some trees into a secluded area. Neither noticed as a pair of ocean blue eyes watched them move away from sight. Those blue eyes closed as the figure turned and fled.

Sasuke shoved Sakura away from himself and steered pointedly at her. " Listen to me and listen well, I will not tolerate you speaking about Naruto in such a manner. If you don't like him, then that's your problem, but…" he emphasized his words by stepping closer, until he had her backed against a rather large tree. "… if you ever speak about him in such a degrading way again, I will slit your throat and watch until you bleed yourself dry."

With that final statement, Sasuke turned and left the frightened girl behind in favor of looking for his boyfriend.

Sakura was in utter shock. Sasuke had just _defended_ Naruto. He made _her_ into the bad guy! "Bastard! She thought "...but why had he defended Naruto like that. Unless…no no no no no. he can't think of Naruto in a romantic way. Its against the fucking law!"

* * *

Kakashi stood at the village gates waiting for Iruka to arrive. He was in possession of a package that he had to escort to the hakage personally. He knew what it pertained to and he couldn't be happier. He had arrived rather early to the meeting location; for that he blamed one person.

"_Why the hell did they have to put him in my squad?"Kakashi thought for the millionth time that day. "It's too powerful. They say it's tamed now. Safe for everyone, but as soon as it figures out how to tap into all of its power, then we _will _have a problem!" _Kakashi thought viciously.

He was brought form his thoughts when he saw Iruka walking up the path towards the gate entrance. Iruka looked tired and worn out. His hair and clothes were filthy and had leaves sticking out at odd places. As he got closer, Kakashi noticed that he had small cuts and bruises on his face. He also had a slight limp.

"You're the welcoming party?" Iruka teased, as a small smile played on his lips.

"Well who else did you expect?" Kakashi retorted as he threw his left arm around Iruka's shoulders. They had been friends since they were fourteen. It was odd. When they had been in school together they bearly ever acknowledged each other due to the fact that iruka was naturally quiet and Kakashi was a prodigy and also extreamly lazy. It wasn't until after the Nine Talied Demon Fox had attacked that they had formed a bond. Iruke had lost his parents, thus becoming an orphan. Kakashi was always a loaner but in the attack he had lost his mentor and father figure. Through their grief a strong bond of friendship was formed.

"Did everything go smoothly?" Kakashi asked as he lead Iruka towards the Hokage tower.

Iruka raised his left eye brow at the man. He was wondering why Kakashi's voice was so tense as he spoke. He knew something. "Yes. Is there something that I should know?"

Kakashi sighed. " I think it's getting suspicious."

"Why would you say that? Has he done something? Said something?" Iruka asked frantically. He was having a small panic attack. _"The beast can't find out until everything is in order." _He thought frantically.

Kakashi stopped walking and squeezed Iruka's shoulder in a reassuring way. " Calm down. I don't think he suspects what we're doing, but he has been more aware lately. His attitude has changed. I think we need to push the date on this."

With a nod from Iruka, they continued on towards the tower.

* * *

Tsunade was happy. No, the best term for it would be ecstatic. Everything was coming around nicely. That was until an hour ago. She could not understand why she was surrounded by such incompetent people. She knew that she had everyone in the village hanging off of her every word, but she did not realize that she had stragglers until today. She did not understand why it had gone unnoticed. Her mind wondered to the events that she witnessed earlier that day.

Flashback

_Tsunade was walking along one of the paths that ran through the forest on top of the Hokage Mountain. She had needed a little air. It was stifling in that office. As she headed deeper into the forest, she followed one of the least worn paths. Then she heard it. It was a moan. She was sure of it. She stood still for a few moments and heard it again. She looked to her left and slowly crept forward, being careful to mask her chakra. As she looked behind the tree her eyes widened. It was very hard to surprise Tsunade but when it happened she never liked it. There, in front of her were Shino and Kiba kissing. If that wasn't enough Shino's hand had disappeared into Kiba's shorts. Tsunade's mind shut down._

_Kiba and Shino were oblivious to the fact that they were bring watched. They had been in a sitting position until Shino had gently pushed kiba back until he was lying on the grass. Never breaking contact with Kiba's mouth. He loved kissing Keba. He was like a drug he couldn't live without. Kiba was in complete bliss as Shino kissed him senseless. He didn't think it could have gotten any better. In truth, they had never gone that far, even though they had been together for the past two years. Kiba was drawn from his musings as a rush a pleasure shot through his body. He then realized that Shino had unfastened his shorts and was currently rubbing his member. Shino's hand was fisting him, while his thumb was rubbing over the head of his penis. The sensation was amazing. Kiba couldn't take it as he threw his head back, ripping his mouth away from Shino's and let out the most wanton moan as he thrust his hips into Shino's hand unconsciously. Shino smirked. He knew kiba was inexperienced, but it still amazed him how expressive he was. _

_As Tsunade continued to watch them she felt bile rise in the throat. She was disgusted at the fact that two of her best shinobi's were involved in such disgusting activities. She spun around and walked off trying to calm herself. After a few minutes a smile slowly started to form on her lips. She knew exactly how to spin this so it worked in her favor. She would teach them to so blatantly disregard the laws of HER village._

_End flashback_

She was brought from her musings as she heard a knock on her door. She knew exactly who it was.

" Enter" she answered clearly. As Kakashi and Iruka closed the door behind them she raised a brow.

"Well, where is it?"

Iruka performed a few hand signs and a scroll appeared in his hands. Tsunade stood and took it. It held the seal of the Wave country. As she broke the seal and read the scrolls contents, she smiled.

" This is exactly what we need to prove to the villagers he is a danger to the village."

Kakashi and Iruka exchanged looks. Tsunade had gotten darker and darker over the past few years. They were the only two still alive that had noticed the change and they wanted to keep it that way. Tsunade's plan was flawless. In the end she would get what she wants and so would they. They didn't care who they had to kill.


	6. Chapter 6

**Ok first off. Thank you for the reviews! I have successfully confused many people. **

**Second…..For those who send me personal messages, just because you send those doesn't mean I will give away my plot. I won't, even if you are rather nice with the compliments.**

**Third: For the person who flamed me…..you know who you are…. How the hell can I get flamed for writing about Kiba and Shino being gay, when you didn't have a problem with Sasuke and Naruto? I talked about them kissing and being affectionate….are you bipolar or anything?...just asking. Just keep reading the story, you've already gotten this far, but if you really don't like the story then don't read it. And if you want to flame me, at least have the ball to put it as a review not a pm!**

**Forth: If you wanna flame me, at least have the courtesy of explaining to me the reason behind it.**

**And again,Dark Neko 4000, just because you ask doesn't mean that I will tell you. Be patient.**

**This is just a little sweet scene before hell breaks loose.**

Two days ago Sasuke was in utter bliss. Well, before he was ambushed by the pink haired abomination. However, he was currently confused and worried. He thought everything was going well with Naruto. He thought he was making him happy. He was even going as far as being somewhat open with the other Shinobi. He knew he wasn't in love with Naruto, but he knew the feelings he had for him could develop into love someday. Although, now he was thinking that it would not last much longer. Naruto had been avoiding him. It wasn't like before when Sasuke had been teasing him. Now, Naruto was truly avoiding him. He even went as far as to train with Kakashi and share a separate tent on their missions. The four were currently walking down the well worn path leading to the village. They were returning from a rather successful mission. Sasuke knew that this was his only chance to get Naruto alone.

"Kakashi- sensei, didn't you say that the dobe and I had to head to the training grounds as soon as we got back to the village?" He asked as he continued walking.

Kakashi raised a brow at this. It would give him time to finish the preparations for Tsunade, but he didn't want to leave the Uchiha alone with _**it.**_ "Right. Go ahead and next time, try to refrain from fighting on missions, Naruto."

For a second Naruto was considering arguing the point, but the look Kakashi sent him made him rethink it. Lately Kakashi had been harder on him than usual. He had also been giving Naruto the most hateful looks. It made the blonde feel as if he was lower than dirt.

"Hai sensei." Naruto responded in a small voice.

Sakura wanted to protest. She couldn't fathom the reasoning behind leaving those two alone. She didn't want her Sasuke-kun to be corrupted. She needed to know where Sasuke stood. He needed to be on their side. She had to make sure of it. With that thought in mind, she trailed off after Kakashi as they continued towards the gates of the village. Naruto turned quickly and headed towards the South side training grounds. Sasuke followed. As they reached the clearing, Naruto turned quickly and eased into a fighting stance. Sasuke came slowly to a stop and raised his left eye brow.

"You know that a didn't come here to train." He drawled as he slid his hands into the pocket of his pants.

Confusion briefly passed through Naruto's eyes as he straightened. " Then what the hell did you want?"

"Why are you avoiding me?" Sasuke had debated which way he should approach Naruto and he figured being blunt was the best choice. Just to make sure that he got the point.

"Why the fuck do you care? You were just toying with me all this time…..asshole!" Naruto ranted. Sasuke was confused. He could hear the hurt in his voice, but he hated to know that he was the one that caused it.

"Toying with you…?" Sasuke asked obviously confused.

"What? You've been going behind my back this entire time! I know about Sakura….and you call me the moron."

"Sakura? What does she have to do with this?" Sasuke asked. He was completely confused. The only thing he knew was that Naruto was hurt and it was his fault.

" Don't play dumb Sasuke. You're not very good at it." Naruto shouted as he stormed closer towards him. " I saw you pull her behind a bunch of trees. I bet you fucked her! I thought you cared you asshole." By this time Naruto was livid.

" _**kit calm down. You cannot afford to lose control of your emotions. Your condition is delicate." Kyuubi said as she tried to calm her kit.**_

" _He lied to me and still is!"_

" I never touched Sakura! What are you…." Then it hit him. He knew exactly what Naruto was talking about. Of course the moron interpreted it wrong, as he always did. " Let me explain…"

Sasuke reached out and slid his arms around Narutos waist. It was rather easy to do since Naruto had had his back turned to him. Naruto loved it when Sasuke held him. He figured it was from the lack of affection as a child, but right now he couldn't allow it.

"Let me go you fucking liar!" Naruto cursed as he struggled franticly.

Sasuke knew that if Naruto really wanted to get away from him, he could. This gave him some hope.

"Naruto, listen!" Sasuke said in such a commanding voice that Naruto stilled instantly. " Yes I pulled he behind the trees," He could feel Naruto tense but he continued. "…But did that to explain to her that she should watch what she says about you."

_**Kyuubi chose that moment to voice her opinion, " See, the brat was defending your honor. I told you he was a worthy mate." The smugness in her voice was unbearable.**_

" You what?"

Sasuke could hear the confusion on his voice. He pulled him closer to his chest as his arms tightened around Naruto's waist. He rested his chin on Naruto's shoulder as he continued. " She was trying to convince me that you were not worthy of my friendship." Slowly Naruto turned in his arms to face him. He could see the hope in his eyes.

"So…" Naruto started out slowly, his head still bowed. "You were defending our …..friendship?"

" In a sence, yes. But I was also defending our relationship." He said sofly as he lifted Narutos head so that he could look into his eyes. " I wouldn't cheat on you Naruto." Sasuke bent slightly as he captured Naruto's lips with his own. He loved kissing Naruto. It was like his drug. Those soft pink lips. The shyness that was due to inexperience. His hands tightened around Naruto's waist as he pulled him closer. Naruto's eyes slowly closed as he wrapped his arms around Sasuke's neck, slowly melting into the kiss. As the need for air became too great, Sasuke pulled away. He was pleased to see that Naruto's lips followed after him.

"I take it that I am forgiven..."

Naruto rested his head on Sasuke's chest and nodded. He sighed in content as Sasuke rested his head on top of his while he rubbed circles at the junction where his back and ass met. " Your forgiven…..if you kiss me again." He mumbled as a slight blush formed on his cheaks.

Sasuke smirked. "I can do that….but let's go somewhere a little more private."

They vanished in a poof of smoke to the Uchiha mansion.


	7. Chapter 7

_**Disclaimer:**__** I own nothing...**_

**So, I know that this is late. My bad. I hope you all enjoy it, although this chapter doesn't explain everything...**

**R AND R**

Gaara was confused. Scratch that he was pissed and confused. He steered down at the parchment in his hands, a scowl marring his face. The scroll he held, had the official seal of the Hidden in The Leaf Village on the upper left hand corner. He couldn't believe what he had just read. It was impossible. There could be no way that anyone could be that stupid. It was outrageous. Sand had been negotiating a peace treaty with the Leave village since his Fathers Father was the Hokage. There had always been tension between the two villages, but he had thought that it was coming to an end. He had found himself when he had first been to the village. Since then he had formed strong friendships with some of the shinobi's; one of which was currently standing across from him. He still couldn't understand what had lead the council to this decision. Slowly, his mind returned to the present, remembering the fact that he was in the presence of company. Gaara was currently sitting on the edge of his overly large bed. The sheets were blood red, with lining of forest green around the edges. There were pillows with similar patters at the head of the bed. The walls of his rooms were a pale badge. It was decorated with the most simplicity. A dresser which held very few items. Two intricately wood carved small night stands, which were located on both sides of the bed. The walls were bear, except for the wall that was opposite his bed. It held five picture frames, all in a straight line. The first was one of his mother, when she was pregnant with him. He smiled at it every time he saw it. The second was that of his father. The man had a stern look on his face. He always had a stern look on his face. Gaara had admitted to the fact that the only reason he did not remove the picture was because he got used to seeing it. The third was that of his sister, Temari, with her blond hair in its signature four pigs tailed hair style. The fourth was one of his older brother Kankuro. He was 12 in the picture and even then his face was covered in purple paint. The fifth was his favorite. It was a picture of himself with both of his older siblings. He even had a small smile on his face. He knew this was Temari's favorite picture because it was the only one where he was smiling. The only other photographs in the room was one that sat on his right night stand. It had been there for the past two and a half years. He had no intension of moving it. He was brought back to reality as he felt two large slightly calloused hands frame his face. As he looked up he saw the grey, almost white eyes of Huuga Neji.

"Gaara, we will figure something out." To Gaara, it was the most comforting of voices, but he couldn't find comfort in it today. Not after reading this.

" Neji! Have you read this?" Neji sighed and let his hands fall as Gaara stood and walked towards the bay window.

"Of course I have. "he stated matter-of-factly. " But you need to calm down…"

Gaara turned sharply. His green eyes filled with rage. He stormed over to Neji and looked straight into his eyes. Which was rather hard to do for the mere fact that Neji was a good foot and some taller than him. "Calm down? Calm down? I will not. What does Tsunade think she's doing, allowing this?" he asked as he held the scroll up. " What right does she have to cut ties with my village, my people, me? And the reasoning behind it is garbage!" with that said he crushed the paper and threw it in a random direction.

"Gaara, love, calm" Neji soothed as he slipped his arms around Gaara's small waist and pulled him to rest his head on his chest. He knew that Gaara was getting too worked up.

"…What of the others?" he asked in a small voice. He would never admit it, but he loved it when Neji held him. It made him feel safe. Safer than his own sand.

" Some, don't agree with it and those who are in relationships, keep it a secret."

" What are the consequences...if caught?" Gaara asked, though he was dreading the answer.

Neji sighed and held Gaara tighter. He knew Gaara was asking because he feared what would happen If he and Neji were ever caught. " The consequence is death, but they will not catch us." The last part of his statement was rushed as he felt the need to reassure Gaara. He had felt him immediately tense as soon as he got the answer. The stayed there holding each other for what seemed like hours. As Neji was about to ask if he was alright, Gaara spoke up.

"You should go..." he said quietly as he tried to pull away.

"Excuse me?" Neji asked slightly confused as he tried to hold on to Gaara. He let go as soon as he started struggling. Gaara was very small and tended to bruise easily. Even if it would heal in mere minutes he would not be responsible for hurting him. "Gaara, they won't…"

He was cut off as Gaara looked at him, "I will admit that I…care for you, that is why I want you to leave, that does not mean I _want _you to. I think Tsunade may suspect something. You can't stay here longer than necessary anymore."

"Are you certain that's the reason?" he asked in a slightly accusing tone.

" I would never turn you away if there was no danger, but I have to listen to my instincts."

Neji sighed. He trusted Gaara and if it was what he thought best then he would abide by it. " Fine, but I need one thing before I leave."

"What's that?" Gaara asked looking up confused.

"This" was the only response that he received as Neji took two long steps forward. He wrapped his arms around Gaara's small frame, tilting his head down and capturing Gaara's lips. Gaara responded immediately, as he brought his arms up and encircled them around Neji's neck. The kiss was gentle, but slightly forceful. Through the kiss Gaara was pleading for Neji to be careful and Neji was telling him there was nothing to worry about. As the kiss ended, Neji slid his right hand up to cup Gaara's left cheek. He automatically felt Gaara lean into the touch.

"Be careful" Gaara whispered softly.

"I will" Neji answered just a softly, as if afraid to break the mood. With that said he disappeared in a cloud of smoke.

Gaara sighed as he walked over to his bed. He looked at the picture on his left night stand. It was taken a few months ago. The picture was of him standing on his balcony watching the sunset. Behind him was Neji. His arms were wrapped around Gaara's waist from behind and Gaara's lay on top of his. Both their faces held serine and content looks. It was taken a few months prior, when Tamari was obsessed with her new camera. He remembered that night. He felt so safe in Neji's arms he hadn't wanted to leave. They ended up sleeping on the balcony that night. He smiled fondly at the memory. Neji was his rock. He didn't think he could bare it if something happened to him. As similar morbid thoughts ran through his head, his door opened to reveal Temari.

"Hey, are you two….." she paused and looked around the room as she stepped in fully. " Gaara, where's Neji?"

Gaara slowly sat up on the bed; he hadn't even realized that he was lying down. _" How long have I been lying here?" he wondered. _He turned slightly to face her.

"He left." was all he said as his head stayed bowed dejectedly.

" He did what? He just got back! You haven't seen him in over a month!" Temari was about to go into a full out rant, but when she looked at Gaara she was rendered speechless. His posture was slouched. His shoulders were hunched and then she saw it. There was a stray tear rolling down his cheek. _"That asshole is dead"_ she thought. She walked over to his bed and sat beside him. She slowly, as not to startle him, wrapped her right arm around him.

"What happened?" She asked softly.

"I sent him away" He answered just as softly.

"Why?"

"Konoha's new laws…if he stayed here with me longer than necessary then they could find out. I can't ask him to put himself in that kind of danger. It would be selfish." The last was added as an afterthought.

" Tsunade is being unreasonable. " she said. With that statement Gaara looked up.

" You know about the new law?"

" Yes, and it's not new. Different villages just chose to ignore it. It was never enforced because most shinobi's don't live past 30, so they figured it didn't matter where they found love if they did. But Tsunade has been different. We've noticed it and we're prepared. Everything's in order. The houses are built. The jobs are free, and those who have needed to be notified have been."

They had been planning this for the past year. It was Kankuro who had first noticed the change in the hidden in the leaf village. Gaara was adamant that there was no foul play, but after all the evidence they had gathered he knew the truth. Tsunade had changed and it was in no way in the best interest for the village. They had wanted to tell Neji and the others, but they knew they were in less danger if they didn't know anything. It was better this way. Naruto was going to merge with Kyuubi soon, if he hadn't started already and it would only reinforce Tsunade's man hunt. She would have the village convinced of anything she wanted. They would have to act soon.

**A/N:**

**This took me forever to put up because I couldn't upload anything. I'm not sure if I even want to continue. You be the judge. Review or pm me and tell me if i should continue.**


	8. Chapter 8

**I had three responses at first as to whether or not I should continue and I guess I will. Here are some updates…you ready?**

**First: I apologize for taking so long to update. I will do better. I give you my word….**

**Second: I GOT FLAMED…AGAIN!... Don't you love it when you're the cause of controversy? My pm box will remain open though… Well on with the story! **

**Oh yeah... i own nothing!**

**Chapter 8**

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Neji made it back to Konoha within three days. He had pushed himself to keep moving forward. He knew that if he paused too long, his doubts would embed themselves even further into his mind. He trusted Gaara. He knew better than to go against his instincts; ever since the day that he merged with his demon. That was a day he didn't want to remember, although he could never forget it. He had never seen Gaara in that much pain and would die before it happened again. He was brought back from his thoughts as he passed through the gates of the village. He could feel that something was wrong. The first sign was that there were no shinobi's on guard at the gate. He stood in the middle of the street, at the gate entrance. He looked around and saw…no one. The shops were closed. There were a variety of fruits in the street. As a soft breeze swept past and picked up the loose dirt, it was eerily quiet. The village looked deserted. Nothing was broken or torn. The buildings were still intact, along with all the vending stalls along the street. They all appeared to have been recently abandoned.

"_What the hell could have happened in the two weeks that I was gone?"_ Neji asked himself. He had left the village two weeks prior. Tsunade had wanted him to negotiate the final stages of the peace treaties with the Mist and Wind villages, or so he thought. When he had arrived, he was shocked to realize that the scrolls he had brought were not peace treaties at all, but instead a vague reason as to why they were cutting ties. Neji had been shocked and then anger started to form. At the time the thought had not occurred to him. Tsunade had sent him into unstable territory without any form of assistance. Had she intentionally put his life in danger or was it that she did not expect the governing parties of either village to feel angered? Either way he felt betrayed as to why she would do such things. He brought himself from his musings; he had more important things to deal with at the moment.

He carefully made his way further into the village. It was rather unnerving to see his home void of human interaction. He walked through the market, noticing that there were birds eating at, what he assumed, was fresh fruits. Then a thought hit him. He mentally slapped himself for not thinking of this earlier. The Hokage Tower. There may have been a council meeting today. It was uncommon for them to have one this time of the year… and without leaving at least a few shinobi's at the gates. It was uncommon. But not unheard of. He swiftly made his way towards the tower, taking in the scenery as he went. It looked just as he had left it; just bare. As he reached the tower, he had expected to see the usual guards posted at the entrance. To his utter shock, the only thing that greeted him was; well that was just it. Nothing greeted him, or to be more specific, no one. There were no guards posted at the entrance. He carefully made his way into the building. As he ascended the winding staircases, he could hear the echoes of his steps. It was rather unnerving. Upon approaching the Hokages' office door, Neji couldn't help but feel a sense of unease. No one was ever authorized to enter the office unless instructed by the Hokage. His current reasoning was that there was no one around and the explanation to what was happening was possibly in the office. With sound reasoning, he pushed open the large wooden ornate doors. As he slowly crept forward, he was mildly surprised. The office was not as unorganized as he knew it to be. In fact, it looked as if it was strategically in disarray. It suddenly dawned on him, that in all the years he had known the Hokage, she always knew exactly where scroll ended up. The large oak desk was at the back of the room covered in what he assumed was paper work. Along the walls there were plants, hidden behind either piles of scrolls or an odd chair here or there. He was cautious as he walked through the room, searching the scrolls as he went. He needed to find out what happened. This was the Hokages' office. Of course she wouldn't leave any important scrolls out in the open.

" _so then, where would she have them?"_ he thought to himself.

He stood completely still for a few moments and cleared his mind. He collected his chakra and activated his blood limit. If he was someone of such an important status, he would make sure that things of importance were kept hidden. As he used his Byakugan to search the room he couldn't help but feel on edge. He was trained to trust his Hokage's word. He was a shinobi, and as such, he was never to go against or question the word of his Hokage. He honored this motto. He lived by it. It hurt him slightly to know that he was going against everything he was taught. He shook his head slightly, as if it would help the sence of doubt that he felt. He doubted his Hokage. He doubted his fellow shinobi, but even more importantly, he doubted himself. Could he do the right thing, if he came to see what that was? Could he go against his teachings, his family, his training, his Hokage…his village? He paused in his musings as his eyes landed on in the far right corner of the room. There was a chakra signature surrounding something behind the room. It was so faint that he would have never even noticed it if it was not for his Byakugan. He slid his hands over the smooth surface of the concrete to get a better feel of how strong the seal was. After a few moments, he moved a few paces to his right and lay his hand palm first on the wall. As he closed his eyes he removed his palm and placed the tip of his middle finger horizontally against the wall. He took a deep breath and gathered his chakra. In one swift, fluid motion he pulled his hand back while forming it into a fist and punched the wall in the exact spot his has once occupied. As his fist connected to the cold stone, he released a small surge of chakra. When he removed his hand there was a small crack in the wall. Neji smirked to himself.

"_I'm good." w_as the thought that ran through his mind for a brief moment.

Slowly the crack in the wall started to expand until it was around seven feet in height and two feet in width. As the cracked wall fell apart Neji could see a small amount of light behind it. When a doorway was clearly made, he was shocked to see a small room. It was dark for the most part; the light he had seen was apparently coming from the outside. He knew all Hokages had their own private hidden chambers, but why would Tsunade locate hers in the same room as her office. As he cautiously entered the room he could see that it was not very large. At the very most it was ten by twenty wall to wall. He spread a thin blanket of chakra over his right palm and performed a fire jutsu. As the flame started to come alive in his hand, he held it above his head. As the room was illuminated, Neji was shocked and astounded at the sight that met him. There, on the small wooden table in front of him were the heads of all six of the village council. Neji stood rooted in the spot as he stared into the dead, blood stained eyes of each of them. He didn't know what to do. It was unfathomable. He quickly backed out of the room. what was going on? Why would Tsunade do this? Was she mad? these were the thoughts running through his head as he jumped out of the window. He had to find someone.

There had to be an explanation. Had the council turned on them?...or worse, had Tsunade? As he flew across the roofs of the village something caught his eye. The village square. They were all gathered in the square. As he made a mad dash, he could see the rows of villagers getting larger. The flood of relief that had washed through him slowly drained as he saw what the villagers were gathered around. There was a platform about three feet off the ground. On it stood Kakashi, Iruka and Tsunade. She was saying something that became unimportant as soonas his eyes caught what was behind the three. He came to a sudden stop, and for the third time this day Neji stood in utter shock. Behind Tsunade, were three rope bound shinobi's. He could tell they were shinobi's by not only their clothes, but also by whom they were. The dark haired one was Uchiha. His clothes were ripped and torn, matted with dried blood and from the way he was kneeling it could be seen that his right leg was broken or the very least fractured. He was leaning rather closely to Naruto. His usually bright blond hair was darkened with blood. His head was so low that his face couldn't even be seen. It seemed as if he was bearly even breathing. Then Neji saw the pool of blood forming around his knees. He figured that he was worse than he appeared. To Narutos right he could see Shino. His clothes were ripped, but he looked the best out of the three. If it weren't for the large gash on the left side of his face, right above the eye. His head wasn't bowed, but instead turned to the right looking at the body hanging from a metal pole by its wrists. The body was limp. There was blood running from the wrists and down his arms. His pants and shorts were torn to shreds. Blood pooling below the limp form. As the mans eyes slowly opened and looked at Shino, it was then that Neji realized who the unfortunate victim was. Kiba.

His mind was reeling. What was going on? Why was this happening? He looked around frantically and realized no one was helping or showing any sign of pity or remorse. Not even their fellow shinobi. It was then that he tuned into what Tsunade was saying.

"… **and with that said, we need to protect our village from the unpure! Those who cannot follow the rules of the village will be terminated! We will not allow them to taint our village! No watch as we dispose of the traitors!"**

Then it hit him. The village had found out. They knew about their relationship….but the only thing that ran through his mind was… "_What the hell happened in the three weeks I was gone?"._

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**I know this is late, but I am sorry. And tell me what you think. The updates will be sooner! Read and review!**


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